Washing machine with adjustable agitation vanes



y 1969 c. R. MISCHKE 3,446,044

WASHING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE AGITATION VANES Filed Aug. 11,1967 Sheet of s -5 36) ,0 L p. 4 v. I 56 u [Huxmiml A w J i /9 l mit 27 6 k v /a '27 /7 INVENTOR. (I /Muss F. M5 01 H ATTORNEYS May 27, 1969 c. R. MISCHKE WASHING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE AGITATION VANES Filed Aug. 11, 1967 Sheet 5e 37 9 43 INVENTOR.

u 4 tr "'l'l"! 1/ x l I I a May 27, 1969 c. R. MISCHKE WASHING MACHINE WITH ADJUSTABLE AGITATION VANES Filed Aug. 11, 1967 INVENTOR. [Xe 4Q 5 1?. /l }s ow HY I 2 4 ATTORNEYS US. Cl. 68-133 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE A washing machine having an agitator including relatively rotatable inner and outer members. An agitator vane is carried by the agitator members for radial movement as the agitator members are rotated relatively. A clutch mechanism is mounted on the agitator members and comprises a collar keyed to the inner agitator member for joint rotation and for relative movement axially. Two sets of gear teeth are formed respectively on radially extending walls formed on the collar and on the outer agitator member. The collar is axially movable to one position at which the two sets of teeth mesh for joint rotation of the inner and outer agitator members. The collar is also movable to a second position to disengage the gear teeth and to enable the outer agitator member to be rotated relative to the inner agitator member to adjust the radially movable vane. A spring biases the collar back to said one position thereof to re-engage the gear teeth and to connect the inner and outer agitator members for joint rotation.

Background of the Invention This invention relates machines and more the agitator type.

Agitator type washing machines generally employ an agitator which oscillates rotatably on a vertical axis. One or more agitator vanes extend radially from the agitator to increase the agitation of the laundry liquid and laundered material.

It is usually desirable to vary the level of agitation as the type or quantity of laundered material varies. For example, maximum agitation may be considered optimum for heavy work clothes, whereas minimum agitation may be more preferable for light materials such as lingerie.

It is known in the prior art to vary the level of agitation while maintaining the length of stroke and rate of oscillation of the agitator constant. This is accomplished by changing the area or location or both area and location of the action surfaces of the agitator vanes. The present invention, however, provides means for varying the effectiveness of the action surfaces in a manner which is easier and more convenient than that previously known in the prior patented art.

generally to the field of washing particularly to washing machines of Summary of the Invention The present invention may be briefly defined as comprising a washing machine having relatively rotatable inner and outer agitator members, an agitator vane, means mounting the vane on the agitator members for radial movement in response to relatively rotatable movement of said agitator members and a clutch mechanism having selectively adjustable means movable relative to said agitator members between first and second positions, at which respective positions said adjustable means locks said agitator members together for joint rotation and releases the members for relative rotation.

Thus as the adjustable means is moved to the second position thereof the outer agitator member can be States Patent 3,446,044 Patented May 27, 1969 grasped and rotated relative to the inner agitator memher to adjust the position of the agitator vane and vary the agitation level of the washing machine correspondingly. After the agitator vanes have been adjusted in accordance with the type and quantity of material to be laundered the adjustable means is movable again to the first position thereof to lock the inner and outer agitator members together for joint rotation.

The adjustable means comprises a collar mounted on the inner agitator member for joint rotational and relative axial movement. Cooperating sets of gear teeth are formed on the collar and on the outer agitator member. The two sets of teeth mesh when the collar is in the first position thereof and are spaced apart out of meshing engagement with one another in the second position of the collar. The inner and outer agitator members are locked against relative axial movement by a lock washer and the collar is biased to the first position thereof by a spring member.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an agitator type washing machine with means for easily and conveniently varying the agitation level of the machine without varying the length of stroke or rate of oscillation of the agitator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable agitator vane and improve the means for adjusting the vane to vary the level of agitation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an agitator having relatively rotatable inner and outer agitator members, an adjustable vane on the agitator members movable radially as the members are rotated relative to one another and means movable relative to said agitator members for selectively rotationally locking the agitator members together for joint rotation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide means movable axially between two positions for rotationally locking and releasing the agitator members.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for biasing the locking and releasing means to the locked position thereof.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example only.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an agitator type washing machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with portions thereof broken away and other portions shown in section to reveal the relative positioning of parts.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical elevational view of the machine agitator showing one of a plurality of adjustable agitator vanes and a selectively adjustable clutch mechanism in the locked position thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal agitator member only, FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an adjustable agitator vane mounted between the inner and outer agitator members taken along lines IV-IV of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper portion of FIGURE 2 with the clutch mechanism shown in 8. released position.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines VIVI of FIGURE 2.

sectional view of the inner taken along lines IIIII'I of 3 FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines VII-VII of FIGURE 5.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, a washing machine of the agitator type constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is indicated generally at reference numeral 10 in FIGURE 1. The washing machine may be more particularly characterized as comprising a cabinet 11 mounted on adjustable leveler supports 11a.

Housed within the cabinet 11 is a stationary imperforate tub 13 for receiving a supply of laundry liquid and a perforated washing drum 14 for receiving a batch of laundry material or fabric, A vertical drive shaft 16 extends upwardly from a lower motor-drive section of the cabinet 11 through registered openings formed in a supporting or based plate 17 and the bottom wall 18 of the tub 13. The drive shaft 16 is journalled for rotation and is connected to a suitable drive mechanism for rotation including oscillation about its vertical axis.

An agitator assembly 19 is housed within the washing drum 14 and is connected to the drive shaft 16 for oscillating rotationally to agitate the laundry liquid and the laundry fabric received within the washing drum 14.

Since desirably the level of agitation varies in accordance with the type of material or fabric being laundered the present invention contemplates the provision of means for easily and conveniently selecting the level of agitation without adding significantly to the complexity or cost of the Washing machine 10.

The agitator assembly 19 comprises outer and inner agitator members 20 and 21, both of which are generally cylindrically shaped and extend concentrically one within the other on a common vertical axis aligned with the axis of the drive shaft 16. Extending radially outwardly from the agitator members 20 and 21 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced agitator vanes as indicated at reference numeral 22. The vanes 22 are radially adjustable, and as the vanes are moved radially outwardly from the drive shaft 16 the level of agitation of the laundry liquid and laundry fabric within the washing drum 14 increases as a result of the increased movement and speed of movement of the vanes 22.

Referring to FIGURES 2-4, each of the vanes 22 comprises a fiat blade shaped in the form of a parallelogram. Each of the vanes 22 is housed in a guide channel member 23 which comprises spaced substantially parallel vertical side walls 24, 24. A bottom wall 26 of the vane 22 is supported on a radially outwardly and downwardly inclined skirt portion 27 of the inner agitator member 21. Spaced above the skirt 27 is a somewhat parallel wall 28 of the outer agitator member 20 which connects to the walls 24, 24 of the guide members 23. A transverse abutment ridge 29 extends from each of the vanes 22 transversely thereof to slidingly engage the underside of wall 28 for guiding movement of the vanes 22.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated there are a total of three agitator vanes 22, and in each is formed a transverse groove 30. In addition, three spiral-shaped guide ridges 31 are formed on the skirt 27. The vanes are circumferentially spaced about the agitator 19 such that each of the ridges 31 is received in the groove 30 of one of the agitator vanes 22.

Since the vanes 22 are guided for rotational movement about the axis of the agitator 19 by the guide channel members 23 formed on the outer agitator member 20, and since the vanes 22 are positioned radially with respect to the axis of the agitator 19 by the guide ridges 31 formed on the skirt 27 of the inner agitator member 21, it is apparent that relative rotation of the outer and inner agitator members 20 and 21 about the axis of the agitator assembly 19 will have the effect of moving the vanes 22 radially with respect to the axis of the agitator assembly 19.

Referring to FIGURES 5-7, the inner agitator member 21 may be more particularly characterized as comprising an axially extending portion 32 centrally apertured by means of a splined bore 33 which receives a complementarily splined end 16a of the drive shaft 16. The end portion 32 of the inner agitator member 21 is generally square-shaped in horizontal cross-section with corner notches 34 removed therefrom for a more positive joint driving connection with a circumferentially surrounding collar 35 of a clutch mechanism indicated generally at reference numeral 36.

The purpose of the clutch mechanism 36 is to enable the outer and inner agitator members 20 and 31 to be interconnected for joint rotation during a washing operation to provide agitation of the laundry liquid and laundry fabric, and to enable the outer and inner agitator members 20 and 21 to be released from each other for relative rotation so that the agitator vanes 22 can be moved radially to vary the agitation level commensurately,

The collar 35 comprises radially spaced axially extending wall members 37 and 38, wall member 37 being shaped complementarily to the notched end portion 32 of the inner agitator member 21 for joint rotation. The other wall member 38 comprises a cylindrical peripheral wall rotatable within a radially spaced cylindrical wall extension 39 of the outer agitator member 20. A transverse bottom wall 40 interconnects the axially extending wall members 37 and 38.

Formed 0n the bottom wall 40 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced gear teeth 41 which are arranged to mesh with a corresponding plurality of complemental gear teeth 42 formed on a radial wall 43 of the outer agitator member 20. In order to prevent relative axial movement between the outer and inner agitator members 20 and 21 a lock washer 44 is inserted in axially aligned circumferentially continuous grooves 47 and 47 formed respectively in the inner and outer agitator members 20 and 21.

, Threaded on an upper threaded end 48 of the drive shaft 16 is a cap 49 having an annular groove 50 formed in a bottom radial face 51 thereof for receiving the wall member 37 of the collar 35. A spring member 52 is housed between the collar walls 37 and 38 bottoms at one end 53 on the collar bottom wall 40 and at an opposite end 54 on the radial face 51 of the cap 49.

The spring 52 urges or biases the collar 35 downwardly to a position thereof shown in-FIGURE 2 to meshingly engage teeth 41 of the collar 35 with teeth 42 of the outer agitator member 20. In this first position of the collar 35 the outer agitator member 20 is connected or locked for joint rotation to the inner agitator member 21.

Formed on the collar 35 is a radially extending knob 56 which can be easily grasped and raised upwardly against the bias of spring 52 to disengage the teeth 41 of the collar 35 from the teeth 42 of the outer agitator member 20. In this raised or second position of the collar 35 the outer agitator member 20 is released from joint rotation from the inner agitator member 21 and thus can be manually grasped and rotated relative to the inner agitator member 21 to radially adjust the agitator vanes 22.

Thus the clutch mechanism 36 and more particularly the collar 35 thereof serves the function of providing an adjustment means movable between two positions for locking the outer agitator member 20 to the inner agitator member 21 for joint rotation, and for releasing the two agitator members 20 and 21 for relative rotation to enable the vanes 22 to be adjusted radially with respect to the axis of the agitator assembly 19 to vary the agitation level without varying the length or are of stroke or rate of oscillation of the drive shaft 16.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property of privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a washing machine,

relatively movable inner and outer an agitator vane,

means mounting said agitator vane on said agitator members for movement of said agitator vane in response to relative movement between said agitator members, and

a clutch mechanism having selectively adjustable means movable relative to said agitator members between a first position for locking said agitator members together for joint movement and a second position for releasing said agitator members for relative movement therebetween.

2. The washing machine as defined in claim 1 and inagitator members,

I eluding, means for biasing said adjustable means toward said first position thereof.

3. The washing machine as defined in claim 1 and including, means interconnecting said adjustable means and one of said agitator members for joint rotation in said first position of said adjustable means.

4. The washing machine as defined in claim 1 and ineluding,

means interconnecting said adjustable means and one of said agitator members for joint rotation in both of said positions of said adjustable means.

5. The washing machine as defined in claim 1 and ineluding,

means interconnecting said adjustable means and said inner agitator member for joint rotation thereof.

6. The washing machine as defined in claim 3 and including,

cooperating teeth formed on said adjustable means and on the other of said agitator members for joint meshing engagement in said first position of said adjustable means.

7. The washing machine as defined in claim 1 and ineluding,

guide means formed on said agitator members for guiding said adjustable means for axial movement relative to said agitator members between said first and second positions of said adjustable means.

8. The washing machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said cooperating teeth mesh in a plane transverse to the axes of said agitator members.

9. The washing machine as defined in claim 1 and ineluding,

lock washer means for locking said agitator members against relative axial movement therebetween. 10. The washing machine as defined in claim 6 and including,

means forming axially extending circumferentially continuous wall members on said adjustable means and on the other of said agitator members,

said cooperating teeth being formed in circumferentially spaced relation on said wall members. 11. The washing machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said guide means comprises,

axially extending radially spaced circumferential wall members formed respectively on said agitator members,

said adjustable means comprising,

a tubularly shaped axially extending collar movable telescopically between said circumferential wall members.

12. The washing machine as defined in claim 11 wherein said adjustable means further comprises,

a knob extending radially from said collar for manual manipulation in moving said adjustable means selectively between said two positions thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,635,402 7/1927 Getz 68-133 1,796,528 3/1931 Lyons 259-101 X 2,092,954 9/1937 Carter 259-128 X 3,175,810 3/1965 Beyeler 259-134 3,322,401 5/1967 Mersch 259-108 FOREIGN PATENTS 437,635 11/1935 Great Britain.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 259101 

